Massaging instrument



l Peeeneed Dee..16,1919.

jizz/mim' jngs- R. R. ROOT.

MASSAGING lNSRUMENTe APPLICATION men APR. 11. 191s.

UNITED sTnTEs raT onirica.

RALPH R. ROOT, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

MASSAGING INSTRUMENT.

Application filed April 17, 1916.A

To all whom t may concern.' l

Be it known that I, RALPH R. Roer, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Qhio, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Massaging Tnstruments, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to an electrical massage device in which a vibrating movement is given to a massaging implement.

The object of the invention is to produce a device of the character indicated, which is simple in construction,I has a low cost of manufacture and is eflicient for the pur-- pose for which it is intended.

Generally speaking, the invention comprises the elements and combinations thereof set forth in the accompanying claims. i

Reference should be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which Figure l is a side elevation of the device; Fig. 2 is an elevation with portions in section; Fig. 3 is an elevation of the device with the cover removed; Fig. 4 is a section of the device; Fig. 5 is a top plan view with parts removed, the casing being shown in section; Fig. 6 is a transverse section Yof the device; Fig. 7 is a top plan view with portions in section showing a part of the device; Fig. 8 is a fragmentary illustration in elevation of a portion of the device; and Fig. 9 is a section of a detailfof the construction.

In massage instruments it is desired to Y give to the massage implement a vibratory movement. Different characters of vibratory movement may be given to the massaging implement, but in the present instancethe vibration is a simple back and forth vibratory movement. Y

It has been usual heretofore, to construct electrical vibrators, using an electric motorv for furnishing the motive power, by which the massage instrument is operated. In' the present instance the motive power is furnished by the vibrating armature of an electromagnet.

In the drawings, 1 represents the massage implement, the particular one shown being of a usual and well known form, but the particular form is not at all essential to the present invention. This massage implement is secured to an armature 2, which armature has a portion that extends slightly forward and has a screw-threaded portion Speccation of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 16, 1919.

Serial No. 91,506.

adapted to receive the threaded shank of the member l.

The armature 2 cooperates with an elecromagnet, the windings of which are rep resented at 3 and the core of which is represented at 4. The core of the electromagnet is made up of laminations which are suitably secured together. Each lamination is preferably a-'stamping and assumes the form indicated at 4fL in Fig. 4, that is to say, each stamping comprises a central part 4" and side members 4C which are joined to the middle portion 4". 1

These members are assembled and held in definite relationship to each other by a holding member 6, such as shown in Figs. 7 and 9. This holding member is provided with a central opening 6a which extends over the central portion 4b of a number of laminat-ions, and a suitable number of laminations are employed to snugly t within the opening 6a. This member 6 not only serves to hold vthese members together at the lower portion, but also serves as a means for fastening to the base of the device, which may be accomplished in any suitable manner as by means of screws 6b.

Around the central portion 4b and between the side portions 4c of the laminated core, is wound thecoil 7. This coil is of usual construction and as in its winding, it extends well up along the central portion 4b of each lamination, it serves to hold the laminations together.

The coil is in a measure held in place by a disk S, which disk is preferably of an insulating material and extends beyond the core proper. and thus spaces the core from the shell 10 which incases the structure. This then prevents any touching of the core by the casing and prevents any short-circuit through the casing.

The armature 2 lies above the core and it ,lis held inplace by the side members 4 of the endlaminations at both ends of the core,

slight-ly less than that betiveen the top of the core and the members std at that end of the armature Which carries the massage instrument, this being tor the purpose of coniining in a larger degree the movement of the armature to that end oi the armature Which carries the vibrating instrument, thus giving the particular end of the armature in question the maximum amount of movement possible.

It will be seen that the amount of movement which may be imparted to the armature, is limited for the strength and force ot this movement is dependent upon keeping the armature even in its extreme position quite close to the core, so that as the flux builds up when the coil is energized it Will quickly and powerfully act upon the armature.

To the armature there is secured a spring 9, this springbeing held to the armature by means of a screiv 9a and is ot such length that it bears upon the inturned portions or f the extensions std. This then normally holds the arniature in contact vvith the turned in portions of the extensions ed, and it is against the action ot this spring, that the pull ot they flux set up by the coil, Works.

All the operating parts, except the massage implement, are housed Within a casing lo and the casing and Works are secured to an insulated base 11 through Which run the conductors r2 tor conducting current to the electromagnet.

In the forms shown here, the magnet is intended to be used in connection with an alternating current, so that the electromagnet is energized and denergized with the reversals ot' the alternating current. It is for this reason that the core of the electromagnet is laminated.

In operation, the coil ot the electioinag-,

net is rapidly energized and denergized. The usual alternatii'ig` current circuit, especially in the cities, is usually cycle so that there are 120 reversals in a minute. This means, therefore, that With such a current there Would be 120 reversals of the amature Q. It will be seen that the armature 2 Will have a very rapid vibrating movement.

is heretofore suggested, it is desirable to confine the major portion oit the movement to the end of the instrument Which carries the massaging device, inasmuch as such an arrangement insures that the armature 2 will move its maximum amount each time at that portion which carries the massage implement.

Obviously, at the time of reversal ot the energizing alternating current, the electromagnet is demagnetized and the spring 9 retracts the armature.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

l. In a device ot the character described, the combination with an implement, an electromagnet comprising an armature to which the said implement is directly attached, a core and an energizing Winding which cooperates With the armature, stop Amembers located above thearmature with which the ends otl the armature are adapted toengage, a spring member secured to the-armature and normally holding the armature against the stop me1nbers,the said spring and stop members forming the only mounting for the armature.

2. In a device ot the character described, the combination With an implement, an-electromagnet comprising anv armature yto 4Which the said implement is -directlyattaohed, a core and encroizing Winding Whiclrcopcrates With the armature, stop members against `which' the armature is adapted to bear, a spring normallyV holding the armaturek against -the stop memben the .said spring andl stop members `forming-the only mounting tor the armature, the stop members adjacentone end of the armature being positioned to allow a little more movement to the armature as it isattractedby the electromagnet, than is allowed the other end ot the armature.

3. In a device of the `character described, the combination With an implement, an electromagnet comprising an armaturevto which the said implement isdirectly attached, a core and an energizingivindingwhich coperateswith the armature, stop members having inturned portionsVTV whichY engage with the larmature andv limit the outward movement of the armature, a spring member secured at its middle portion to the armature, the end portions of said spring bearing upon the inturned stopinembers.

In testimonyr whereof, I hereunto affix my signature.

RALPH R. ROOT. 

